Species library

Field marks, habits, and camera tips for the wildlife that visits backyard habitats.

181–216 of 569 species

Eastern Carpenter Bee

Eastern Carpenter Bee

Xylocopa virginica

Often mistaken for oversized bumblebees, the Eastern Carpenter Bee is a master woodworker and vital pollinator. Recog...

Insects
Eastern Cicada-killer Wasp

Eastern Cicada-killer Wasp

Sphecius speciosus

The Eastern Cicada-killer is one of North America's largest and most misunderstood wasps. A solitary giant, this fasc...

Insects
Eastern Hercules Beetle

Eastern Hercules Beetle

Dynastes tityus

A prehistoric titan of the backyard, the Eastern Hercules Beetle impresses with its massive size and remarkable color...

Insects
Eastern Pondhawk

Eastern Pondhawk

Erythemis simplicicollis

The Eastern Pondhawk is a fearless aerial predator that transforms from a brilliant emerald green to a dusty sky blue...

Insects
Eastern Rhinoceros Beetle

Eastern Rhinoceros Beetle

Xyloryctes jamaicensis

Meet North America's miniature titan: the Eastern Rhinoceros Beetle. A glossy, mahogany-colored marvel, this nocturna...

Insects
Eastern Scarlet

Eastern Scarlet

Axiocerses tjoane

A flash of brilliant crimson in the African sun, the Eastern Scarlet is a high-energy gem of the savanna. Whether pat...

Insects
Eastern Subterranean Termite

Eastern Subterranean Termite

Reticulitermes flavipes

The Eastern Subterranean Termite is North America's most industrious decomposer. Though small, these social insects b...

Insects
Eastern Tent Caterpillar Moth

Eastern Tent Caterpillar Moth

Malacosoma americana

From intricate silk fortresses to vibrant fuzzy crawlers, the Eastern Tent Caterpillar Moth is a spring icon. Discove...

Insects
Eastern Yellowjacket

Eastern Yellowjacket

Vespula maculifrons

The industrious architect of the underground, the Eastern Yellowjacket is a vital predator in our backyards that keep...

Insects
Ebony Jewelwing

Ebony Jewelwing

Calopteryx maculata

With its shimmering emerald body and velvet-black wings, the Ebony Jewelwing is a living gem of the woodland stream. ...

Insects
Eight-spotted Skimmer

Eight-spotted Skimmer

Libellula forensis

A striking master of the western wetlands, the Eight-spotted Skimmer is famous for its bold wing patterns and territo...

Insects
Elephant Beetle

Elephant Beetle

Megasoma elephas

The Elephant Beetle is the heavyweight champion of the backyard jungle. Draped in golden velvet and sporting a massiv...

Insects
Elongate hemlock scale

Elongate hemlock scale

Fiorinia externa

A tiny traveler with a massive impact, the elongate hemlock scale hides on the underside of conifer needles, creating...

Insects
Emerald Cuckoo Wasp

Emerald Cuckoo Wasp

Stilbum cyanurum

Often called the 'Living Jewel,' the Emerald Cuckoo Wasp is a master of iridescence and a clever nest-invader. Watch ...

Insects
Essex Skipper

Essex Skipper

Thymelicus lineola

A shimmering golden dart of the summer meadow, the Essex Skipper is a master of the 'quick-skip' flight. Often hiding...

Insects
Eufala Skipper

Eufala Skipper

Lerodea eufala

The Eufala Skipper is a master of camouflage and a marathon traveler. Though it blends seamlessly into the grasses of...

Insects
Euglena sanguinea

Euglena sanguinea

Euglena sanguinea

Witness the microscopic magic that turns local ponds a brilliant shade of crimson. Euglena sanguinea is a shape-shift...

Insects
Euonymus Scale

Euonymus Scale

Unaspis euonymi

Tiny but transformative, the Euonymus Scale is a master of camouflage that can encrust entire garden shrubs. Discover...

Insects
European fire ant

European fire ant

Myrmica rubra

Fierce, social, and strikingly red, the European fire ant is a tiny powerhouse of the garden floor. While famous for ...

Insects
European Fruit Scale

European Fruit Scale

Parthenolecanium corni

A common yet cryptic resident of North American orchards, the European Fruit Scale is a master of disguise. These sap...

Insects
European Hornet

European Hornet

Vespa crabro

The largest true hornet in the West, the European Hornet is a masterful architect and a unique nocturnal hunter that ...

Insects
European Paper Wasp

European Paper Wasp

Polistes dominula

The European Paper Wasp is a master of suburban survival, known for its open-faced nests and striking yellow and blac...

Insects
European Red Mite

European Red Mite

Panonychus ulmi

Though tiny enough to fit on a pinhead, the European Red Mite is a vibrant, crimson powerhouse of the backyard ecosys...

Insects
European Rhinoceros Beetle

European Rhinoceros Beetle

Oryctes nasicornis

A prehistoric-looking titan of the undergrowth, the European Rhinoceros Beetle is one of the most impressive insects ...

Insects
European Rose Chafer

European Rose Chafer

Cetonia aurata

A shimmering emerald of the garden, the European Rose Chafer is a master of the sun. These iridescent pollinators are...

Insects
European Stag Beetle

European Stag Beetle

Lucanus cervus

The European Stag Beetle is the crown jewel of backyard insects, featuring the male's iconic antler-like mandibles. T...

Insects
Fall Armyworm Moth

Fall Armyworm Moth

Spodoptera frugiperda

A champion of long-distance flight and a master of disguise, the Fall Armyworm Moth is a subtle nocturnal visitor wit...

Insects
Fall Webworm Moth

Fall Webworm Moth

Hyphantria cunea

Famous for the massive silk 'tents' their caterpillars build in late summer, the adult Fall Webworm Moth is a stunnin...

Insects
Familiar Bluet

Familiar Bluet

Enallagma civile

Meet the Familiar Bluet, the sky-blue 'living jewel' of the North American wetlands. This energetic damselfly is a ma...

Insects
Ferruginous Carpenter Ant

Ferruginous Carpenter Ant

Camponotus chromaiodes

Meet the architect of the undergrowth. The Ferruginous Carpenter Ant is a striking bi-colored marvel that plays a mas...

Insects
Fiery Skipper

Fiery Skipper

Hylephila phyleus

A flash of golden-orange in the summer sun, the Fiery Skipper is the high-energy athlete of your backyard garden. The...

Insects
Figeater Beetle

Figeater Beetle

Cotinis mutabilis

The figeater beetle is a shimmering emerald gem of the Southwest. Often heard before it is seen, this bumbling, metal...

Insects
Five-banded Thynnid Wasp

Five-banded Thynnid Wasp

Myzinum quinquecinctum

A striking ally for any gardener, the Five-banded Thynnid Wasp is a master hunter of lawn pests. With its glossy blac...

Insects
Flame Skimmer

Flame Skimmer

Libellula saturata

The Flame Skimmer is a living ember in the summer garden, sporting a brilliant orange hue that seems to glow in the m...

Insects
Flamed Tarantula-hawk Wasp

Flamed Tarantula-hawk Wasp

Hemipepsis ustulata

A flash of brilliant orange against a desert-blue sky, the Flamed Tarantula-hawk Wasp is the Southwestern scrub's mos...

Insects
Fluffy Tit

Fluffy Tit

Zeltus amasa

With its ethereal white tails and delicate blue wings, the Fluffy Tit is one of the most enchanting butterflies you c...

Insects

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